Cleaning agent dispenser



July 11, 1950 T. B. M Dow CLEANING AGENT DISPENSER Filed Nov. 5, 1946 UNITED I STAT Patented July 11, 1950 f cLnA INqAG NTnisrENsEa Q I Thomas B. McDow, Norfolk, Va-.,gassignor to, Ed

wards-Councilor Company,

, partnership Norfolk, Va., a

Application November 5, 1946,,Serial No. 707,967

. concerned with dispensers adapted for use in spraytype washing machines, such as the dish washing machines commonly employed in restaurants. In such machines, dishes or other articles to be washed are passed througha spray of water or cleaning solution which contains cleaning agents, such as detergents, water softeners, builders, or mixtures of these and other agents, the solution being collected and recirculated. Sinceflthe agent is gradually consumed during the washing operation, it is common prac tice to provide a dispenser or container iorthe agent, adapted to be positioned in the machine in the path of the spray, and constructed to promote contact between the water and the agent, whereby the latter is gradually released or dissolved in the course of the washingoperation.

It is an object of the invention to provide a dispenser of this general character in which the cleaning agent is uniformly released or dispersed in the cleaning solution during the period of operation of the machine only, the construction being such that the rate of dispersionremains substantially the same during successive cleaning operations and regardless of the quantity of cleaning agent in the dispenser. yIn the dispensers heretofore constructed, the Water or cleaning solution sprayed on the dispenser is permitted to enter the dispenser through openings in the top or upper portion thereof, the dissolvedcleaning agent being discharged through openings in the lower portion of the dispenser. Thus the cleaning agent within the dispenser is penetrated throughout by the water or cleaning solution, and the rate of discharge or'release of agent into the machine varies with the amount of contained agent, decreasing as the agent is dissolved or dispersed. Again, since the entire mass of agent within the dispenser is contacted with the water or cleaning solution duringthe 1 operation, the detergent component of the agent tends to form a jelly, whereby the rate oat-dis-v charge during successive operation depends largely on the extent to which the detergent driesor hardens in theperiod between wash ing operations. For these and other reasons, uniform'and controlled release of cleaning agent is not achieved by existing dispensers.

In my improved dispenser, these objections are avoided, and various other advantages are achieved, by so constructing the dispenser that the water or cleaning solution is caused to flow within the dispenser only in the lower portion thereof, whereby only a layer of cleaning agent at-the' bottom of the dispenser becomes wetted and dissolved. Since the bulk of the cleaning agent is not contacted with the solution, the rate of discharge or release of cleaning agent from;

7 Claims. (01. 206- the dispenser remains substantially uniform gardless of the amount of detergent available within the dispenser, and any tendency of the agent to form a readily soluble jelly is restricted to that portion of the agent directly contacted by the water or cleaning solution.

A further object of the invention is to provide a dispenser in which, the entrance orifice through which the water or cleaning solution is admitted to the interior of the dispenser is so located and formed as to minimize clogging of the orifice by foreign material, such as scraps and debris from the washed dishes.

. A further object of the invention is to provide a simple and effective means of controlling the rate of release of cleaning agent into the solution, whereby the agent may be supplied approximately at the rate at which it is consumed, even though the dispenser be employed in machines of widely varying capacity.

Further objects and features of the invention will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a dispenser embodying the principles of the invention and especially designed to dispense a cleaning agent in cake or brick form;

Figure 2'is a partial elevation of one end of the dispenser shown in Figure 1, illustrating one form of means for controlling the rate of release of agent; v

"Figure 3' is a bottom plan of the dispenser shown in Figure 1; and

Figure 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of a modified form of dispenser adapted for the reception of powdered or granular cleaning agent. Inor'der to facilitate an understanding of the invention, reference is made to the embodiments thereof illustrated in the drawing, and specific language is used to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that limitation of the scope of the invention is, not thereby intended, and that'the principles of the invention are applicable to dispensers varying materially in form and structure from that illustrated.

Referring now to the embodiment of the invention shown in Figures 1 to 3, inclusive, it will be observed that the dispenser comprises a generally rectangular container, having side walls Ill, and a corrugated or ribbed bottom wall. I I, the container being open at the top. A removable cover 15, which may have a knob or handle [6, serves to close the container after the cleaning agent A, in cake or brick form, is introduced, the ribs or corrugations in the container bottom serving toelevate the cake of agent to permit flow of water or cleaning solution across the under surface of the cake, as hereinafter described. .luSecured adjacent the lower edge of each, side wall In of the container and diverging upwardly therefrom is a plate l8, these plates being united at their ends tocformwitli the adjacent 'container'! walls a continuous trough or reservoir"!!! extending about the lower portion of the container. The

plates I8 and the container are preferably made"- of metal and are united by soldering; weld-ing,

container, the container may be round; octagonal; or otherwise shaped, and both the container and the trough or reservoir maybe constructed in:

other ways than that shown, it being important in the practice of the invention only that the container top be formed to exclude water or cleaning solutionfrom the upper portion of. the cleaning agent, and that a trough. or collecting chamber be formed adjacent the lower portion' of' thecontainer-tdreceive liquid; fromi-a spray or the 'like. In the form of container shown,..liquid sprayed on the top or cover is discharged'intoth'e trough; the latter constituting a constant" level reservoir for the delivery of liquidto tlie lowerportion of the container.

' To admit liquid from the reservoirtothe' interior of the container, I'p'rovide one or more-in"- let orifices 2G in one or several of the sidewalls N3 of the container, andone or more discharge orifices 22, remote from the inlet orifice; areprovided for the release of liquid and entrained cleaningagent, the orifice 22 communicatingwitl-r a discharge tube 23 extending through thetadjacent plate It, as shown more particularly'in Figure 1, whereby flow of liquid in one direction within the container is assured. I prefer! to use only" one inlet orifice 29, in order that-this orifice may be sufiiciently' large to preclude block ing and clogging thereofby foreign matter, such" as scraps of food from dishes; Location of the inlet orifice in a wall rather'than in the container top is also helpful in minimizing stoppage of flow. While I prefer that the trough or reser voir extend about the entire periphery of the container, for some uses it may sufii'ce toprovide the trough adjacent a portion only of the con tainer periphery, in which event thetube 23 may be eliminated, the concentrated solution being re:- leased" directly through the discharge orifice=in the container wall.

It will beappreciated from the foregoing-description that liquid or cleaning solution collected inthe reservoir l9 is admitted to the lowerrpor= tiononly of the container through the orifice120, and-hows across the container, contacting 'the lower portion only of the brick or cake A of cleaning agent, the enriched solution containing'dis solved cleaning agent being discharged through orifi'ce22 and tube 23. Thus in theuse of the dispenserin a dishwashing machine, for example, the dispenser may be located beneath a water spray and will serve to release a uniform quantity of cleaning' agent. regardless of the amount of water fallin onthe' dispenser or of the amount of cleaning agentiwithin the dispenser;

Preferably the" discharge orifice 22 is located above" the bottom of the dispenser, so that a certain amount of liquid'remains in the lower portion?ofthedispenser after a washing operation. This" retained: liquid" softens or dissolves 'part of thecleaning agent during the period between washingoperations, and this part becomes immediately available at the beginningof the'succeedingwashing operation. Thus on the'initiation ofawashing operation, using a fresh supply: of tliquid, .therconcentration' of cleaningagent of a solid in a liquid are desirable.

4 is quickly brought to the optimum value, and the release of further cleaning agent is thereafter maintained atia' substantially uniform rate as required for continued operation, owing to the concentration of solvent action in the lower part only of the container.

In order that I may control the rate of release of'cleam'ng agent during the washing operation, I"prefer to provi'dea' valve in association with the inlet orifice 2521 In the illustrated embodiment,

I use an apertured plate 25, mounted for rotation onrthe. containerwall, the apertures 26 therein varying in size from a maximum to a minimum. An'outwardly directed flange 28 on the plate 25 facilitates rotation of the plate to align an aperture of the desired'size with the inlet orifice 20, soJtha't the rate'of admission of liquid 'or cleaning solution to the interior of the container; and thereby the: rate of release of cleaning agent'to: the machine, may be readily regulated to conform. to the capacity of the machine and'to corn: pensatefor variation in operating conditions.

The formof the invention shown in Figure 4 differs'fromth'at shown in Figures 1 to 3, inclusive, only by reason of the provision of a metallic screen or wire cloth 30 to receive and support powdered or granular agent. Screen 3?] is secured at its peripheral edge to the inner'facesofIthe container" walls, above the inlet orifice 2E and the'outlet' orifice 22, and extends across andv rests on the corrugations or ribs in the bottom H of the container, the mesh of the screen being sufiiciently fine to retain granulesor' flakes B of" cleaning agent, thereby preventing the agent from: closing or clogging the inlet and outlet'orifices. The constructionand'operation of this embodiment of the invention is otherwise similar to that shown inF-igures l to 3, inclusive, it being observed that only the lower portion of the cleaning agent withinthe container is subjected to the solvent action of'the liquid or cleaning solution; It" will be appreciated that the dispenser illustrated herein maybe employed for many purposesin which gradual and uniform dispersion Such further uses of the dispenser are contemplated as part of the instant invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and'desired to be secured by Let ters Patent is:

1. In a'dispen'ser for cleaning agents of the type adapted to be positioned'in the path'of falling liquid; the combination with a container for the agent, of a removable, liquid impervious cover forthe container, and a trough affording a reservoir for liquid shed by the cover, said trough being disposed adjacent the lower peripheral portion of the container and extending laterally thereof, said container having an inlet orifice in its lower portion communicating with the trough, and a discharge orifice in its lower portion r moved from said inlet'orifice, said inlet and. discharge orifices communicating directly with the interior of the chamber, the lower portion of the chamber being unobstructed, whereby liquid may flow freely from said inlet to said outlet orifices and in contact with said agent, said trough hav ingan effective depth for the retention of liquid to a level sufficient to immerse only the lower portion of the contained agent, whereb the rate of'discharge of dissolved agent is substantially constant regardless of wide variationw in the amount of contained agent.

2. In a dispenserfor cleaning agents of; the type adaptedto be positioned in the path of fall;

ing liquid, the combination with a container for the agent having a top and side walls constructed to exclude liquid from the upper portion of the agent, of an open compartment affording a reservoir for receiving falling liquid, said container having an inlet orifice in its lower portion communicating with said reservoir, and a discharge orificein its lower portion removed from said inlet orifice, said inlet and discharge orifices communicating directly with the interior of the chamber, the lowerportion of the chamber being unobstructed, whereby liquid may flow freely from said inlet to said outlet orifices and in contact with saidagent, said reservoir being constructed and arranged to retain liquid to a level sufiicient to immerse only the lower portion of the contained agent, whereby the liquid is caused to fiow within and across the lower portion only of said container.

3. In a dispenser for cleaning agents of the type adapted to be positioned in the path of falling liquid, the combination with a container for the agent having a top and side Walls constructed to exclude liquid from the upper portion of the agent, of an open compartment affording a reservoir for receiving falling liquid, said container having an inlet orifice in its lower portion communicating with said reservoir, and a discharge orifice in its lower portion removed from said inlet orifice, said inlet and discharge orifices communicating directly with the interior of the chamber, the lower portion of the chamber being unobstructed, whereby liquid may flow freely from said inlet to said outlet orifices and in contact with said agent, said reservoir being constructed and arranged to retain liquid to a level sufficient to immerse only the lower portion of the contained agent, whereby the liquid is caused to fiow within and across the lower portion only of said container, and adjustable valve means for regulating the size of said inlet orifice to control the rate of flow of liquid within the container.

4. In a dispenser for cleaning agents of the type adapted to be positioned in the path of falling liquid, the combination with a container for the agent having a top and side walls constructed to exclude liquid from the upper portion of the agent, of an open compartment affording a reservoir for receiving falling liquid, said container having an inlet orifice in its lower portion communicating with said reservoir, and a discharge orifice in its lower portion removed from said inlet orifice, said inlet and discharge orifices communicating directly with the interior of the chamber, the lower portion of the chamher being unobstructed, whereby liquid may fiow freely from said inlet to said outlet orifices and type adapted to be positioned in the path of falling liquid, the combination with a container for the agent having a top and side walls constructed to exclude liquid from the upper portion of the agent, and a. bottom having ribs to support the agent in cake form with the major part of the underside of the cake exposed, of a trough disposed adjacent the lower portion of the container and extending along the side walls, Said trough being open at its upper side to afiord a reservoir for receiving falling liquid, said container having an inlet orifice in its lower portion communicating with said trough, and a discharge orifice in its lower portion removed from said inlet orifice, said inlet and discharge orifices communicating directly with the interior of the chamber, the lower portion of the chamber being unobstructed, whereb liquid may fiow freely from said inlet to said outlet orifices and in contact with said agent, said trough being constructed and arranged to retain liquid to a level sufficient to immerse only the lower portion of the contained agent, whereby the liquid is caused to flow within and across the lower portion only of said container.

6. In a dispenser for cleaning agents of the type adapted to be positioned in the path of falling liquid, the combination with container for the agent having a top and side walls constructed to exclude liquid from the upper portion of the agent, of an open compartment surrounding the lower portion of said container and affording a reservoir for receiving falling liquid, said container having an inlet orifice in its lower portion communicating with said reservoir, a discharge orifice in its lower portion removed from said inlet orifice, said inlet and discharge orifices communicating directly with the interior of the chamber, the lower portion of the chamber being r unobstructed, whereby liquid may flow freely from said inlet to said outlet orifices and in contact with said agent, and means affording a passage for discharging liquid from said orifice, said passage extending through said reservoir, said reservoir being constructed and arranged to retain liquid to a level suificient to immerse only the lower portion of the contained agent, whereby the liquid is caused to flow within and across the lower portion only of said container,

'7. In a dispenser for cleaning agents of the type adapted to be positioned in the path of falling liquid, the combination with a container for the agent, of a removable liquid impervious .cover for the container, and a trough affording a reservoir for liquid shed by the cover, said trough being formed adjacent the lower peripheral portion of the container and extending laterally thereof, said container having an inlet orifice in its lower portion communicating with the trough, and a discharge orifice in its lower portion removed from said inlet orifice, said inlet and discharge orifices communicating directly with the interior of the chamber, the lower portion of the chamber being unobstructed, whereby liquid may flow freely from said inlet to said outlet orifices and in contact with said agent.

THOMAS B. McDOW.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,486,100 McKenney et al. Mar. 4, 1924 1,640,319 Halsey Aug. 23, 1927 1,961,278 Chandler et al June 5, 1934 2,317,548 Miller Apr. 27, 1943 2,449,513 Schmidt Sept. 14, 1948 

